1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighted display cases, and more particularly to display cases having light sources that direct light inside the cases and toward the display case shelves.
2. Related Art
In the past, a variety of shelves have been used inside display cases for the purpose of displaying different items in supermarkets, or other retail establishments. Items for sale are typically placed on the shelves in rows or columns. For example, dairy products in a supermarket may be placed on shelves inside a refrigerated display case with the older dairy products, which need to be sold first, located near the front and middle of the shelves where the products may be easily picked up by customers. However, problems are encountered in illuminating such products.
Products located near the middle of display shelves are difficult to illuminate when vertical fluorescent tubes or other lights located near the ends of the shelves are used to light or illuminate the interior of a display case. In such a case, the products located near the lights receive more light or illumination than products located near the front and middle of the shelves. As a result, products near the middle of the shelves are insufficiently illuminated.
When products are positioned on shelving near the light sources in a display case, undesirable glare or excessively bright regions are formed about the products. This localized area of illumination adversely affects the ability to more uniformly illuminate all products at the front of the shelf. Moreover, glare is a source of distraction that diverts the attention of a viewer or consumer away from a displayed product. Any attempts to reduce the glare by decreasing the illumination results in even less lighting for the products located near the middle of the shelves.
Another common distraction to a consumer or viewer is the heightened contrast created by the uneven amount of illumination across a display case shelf when lighting is located near the ends of the shelves. When viewing a series of adjacent display cases, the alternating high and low intensity lighting across the display case shelving is both distracting and projects an image of non-uniformity. This uneven effect is particularly undesirable when displaying stock of the same product or item.
Undesirable glare about the products near the lights may be eliminated by moving or positioning the product or items further towards the rear of the case away from the immediate area of the light. However, valuable forward display and shelf space is wasted by moving products away from the lights. By shifting product in this way, the displaced items would also be located further away from a viewer and appear distant rather than on the shelving up close near the front portion of the display case.
Problems are also encountered when horizontal fluorescent tubes are mounted inside a display case, and used to light the interior of the case. Some products located inside the case may not be sufficiently illuminated, because these products are located too far away from the light source.